The Masters
by TheLittleDevilsMom
Summary: What happen when two soul reapers are released from captivity by a strange man after thousands of years of captivity. Where were they and why? What has changed over time? Rated m for language and later chapters please read and is has a male/male relationship in it and if you do not like go somewhere else. Im looking for reviews to help me better my wrighting. Its not slash


_**This is my disclaimer. I do not own anything. This is not being used for sale or profit and all credit goes to its creators.**_

 _ **This has been posted before under a different name but I changed it but it is the same person.**_

Silence. Complete and absolute silence from almost everything. It felt like an eternity. Had it been? There was no way of knowing how long he had been trapped in this prison. Thankfully he wasn't alone. Fighting was an everyday, all day thing anymore. Only being granted a few breaks and with no mercy. The strength they had gained was greater than any living, or dead, being out there. They still hadn't figured out who or what was behind their captivity. They also could not figure out how the hollows and who knew what else got in, just that they did. He and his sole companion had been here an extremely long time. He had been captured and told to pick a single being to accompany him so that his sanity might remain. So naturally he chose the only one he could confide in with his soul.

So they continued their imprisonment and every few centuries or so they would receive a limiter, usually a mark, to restrict their reiatsu. The mark was not activated unless they were allowed freedom from their prison, which had yet to happen. His companion already had marks to retrace. His fellow prisoner had chosen to have his own tattoo design covered a second time as his marks, so he had followed suit and receive them as tattoos. The designs where different but all tribal and they would disappear when released. Marked for life, he thought with a smirk as he sliced another monster down with disturbing ease. Everything went silent. They froze in shock. How long had it been since their last break?

A tall cloaked figure looked at the two souls in his presence. His face was hiden in shadow as he frowned in sorrow. They were losing face. The two soul's human selves had all but vanished. He had to fix this uncalculated mistake at once. "You will go on a break for now. We have all of eternity to finish our task." he stated calmly in his low, cold, and emotionless voice.

Both men looked at him questionably, their long hair unruly and both sets of eyes cold as ice. "But lord Jari-een…" the orange hair boy replied. He had a lean body coved in years of muscle, but he still looked small, as much could be said for both. They were barley bigger in mass than when they had first arrived. Both where covered in identical tribal tattoos, though the younger had decided to leave the ones on the face as a 'never gonna happen'.

"No buts. It has been too long. You will be on a tight leash, but free to roam the human realm. Have a good trip." the cloaked man snapped his fingers and was gone.

Two slacked jawed men stood in silence, "WHAT THE HELL!" the older man yelled in anger as the ground vanished. His waist long fire red hair flew wildly as they fell. His blazing red eyes showed no emotion at the sudden turn of events.

The other man smiled coldly. His own hair only reached his shoulders and dark brown eyes only held amusement as he realized they had been slammed into the usual fake bodies from so long ago. So no matter how long it had been humans still can't see us, he mused. "Shut it you." he snapped at his companion after a moment's pause.

Only then did he realize something vital. "We are at our top limitations. I guess we might have a small problem here." he admitted no longer amused. The ground seemed to grow closer slightly faster than a moment ago. Where had they been anyway, this was like a thousand miles away!? This was going to hurt he thought to himself. His Shinigami robes had changed over the years. They were still baggy legged but now his long jagged coat was sleeveless and his hands where gloved in black from knuckle to wrist. His sword was still in his hand, its long chain flying above his head from the fall.

He companion had also been changed greatly by current events. His long hair was never up and his red fur jacket had turned to a sleeveless coat that also reached his ankles. They were indeed different people, though how long that transformation had taken he would never know. Time was not something he could keep up with of late.

His attention was brought running back with a loud comment from the figure in his thoughts, "We might need a plan. SOON!" he was right. They were close enough to the ground to make out buildings and such.

"Ball up and hope for the best?" He answered with slight worry in his black eyes.

"That is not amusing!" The red headed ex-Shinigami snapped with the first hint of anger in years. "This is really going to hurt." he groaned as he prepared to hit and roll. He only hoped it would reduce the damage enough to count. He knew their healing ability was also limited along with their great amount of reitsu. He looked over to meet dark chocolate brown eyes with his almost blood colored ones. "Smartass." Was his only comeback at that moment.

The orange haired man didn't have time to say anything as he hit the ground feet first and instantly rolled with the impact. It had hurt like a mother hopper but he was in one peace. He quickly looked around for his companion to make sure he was also in one peace. When he didn't see him he started to stand. "Oi, Renji! You alive man?" his voice was slightly raised, the average person wouldn't have found it more than talk, but their sharp ears were a little different.

"Yea, I'm fine. That didn't hurt at all." Renji grunted in exaggerated sarcasm. "Good grief Ichi, why are we in the human realm. Is Jari-een mad again? Though, I prefer this to the last one." He knew he had cringed and he could see Ichigo visibly shiver. The old man had literally threw them into a Arrancar pit last time they had messed up, that didn't turn out to be a pretty sight.

Ichigo said nothing as he ran a gloved hand through his overgrown hair. He had given up trying to keep it cut neatly decades ago. He couldn't figure out why the old man had left them dressed like this. Was he trying to make them stand out? What year was it anyway? "Ren, we need to go find shelter and food." He thought aloud as his stomach growled loudly. He had no idea how long they were going to be stuck here.

Renji in turn didn't answer but instead smiled. He knew they were in for it. He had no idea why they still had their swords. His had been tucked back into its sheath as soon as the ground had left, he still didn't know how Ichigo had managed not to drop his or behead himself. The man, well at looks boy, was manually wrapping his large meat cleaver with its white cloth. He normally did it with his reitsu, which at the moment was almost nonexistent. The red bone like rope that crossed his chest from right shoulder to left hip was all that supported the sixty pound blade. The hooks that would snap it to his back were being manually snapped onto the massive sword as Renji spoke, "So, what are we goin' ta do now?"

Ichigo took notice of his surroundings as he placed his sword onto his back, with ease. After hearing two faint clicks, signifying the sword was in place, he dropped his hands to his side and almost lost his jaw. They were standing on a small elevation at the end of a large city. The mountain like structure they were on dropped a good three hundred feet at a steep slope to more empty grassy land. Beyond the grassy field were thousands of buildings in all sizes and shapes. The best description Ichigo could think up was an American city, only the building were almost all glass, with some exceptions. What wasn't glass was what looked like solid shiny silver buildings. He didn't see any kind of cars only thousands of ant-like people in odd cloths walking through the streets, well large extravagantly decorated sidewalks.

He could see that everyone was neatly trimmed and had short hair or those that didn't have short hair had it neatly kept or, in the males case, pulled up into a tight knot. Everyone was dressed neatly, tucked in dress shirts and slacks. No one seemed to have visible tattoos or piercings. He made it a point to try and find people that looked young but everyone looked at least 25 or so. There must be school at the moment, it did look to be high noon. No one had any kind of weapon, and no one looked like a police officer or any kind of authority.

"Ichi, we might have a bigger problem." Renji stated with a frown. He had noticed that he had no link to soul society, he should have had it, after all he was still a soul. He noticed the ever so brief frown on his companions face. It was like soul society was sealed or they were in some kind of human protection. What had happen to the human world?

"What is going on?" Ichigo voiced his thoughts. "We can't just leave our swords and it seems we will stand out no matter what." He mused silently for a moment. "I don't know but we have to get food."

"Cloths" Renji stated. He knew they both looked young, him 20 and Ichigo around 16. This was going to be an even larger problem, "Damn you Jari-een." He growled, not missing the look of amusement on his companions face as he stomped past and started down the hill. Their cloths were torn and missing in a few places anyway from their fighting that morning.

Ichigo could be heard at his failed attempt to hide a low laugh as he fell in step behind the red headed man. Renji smiled to himself as he thought about the look Ichigo probably had on his face. No sounds were made as they skillfully made their way toward the odd city. It took them what felt like forever to reach something besides the empty grass land. They finally hit woods around dark.

They took their time crawling between trees and on top of old decaying leaves. It was still warm enough for them both to wish they had less on. "Oi, Renji." Ichigo stated as he came to a stop, slightly out of breath. His sword was starting to get to him in this heat. They had trained for centuries but it had been cold or at the worst heat around 50 degrees. It felt like a hundred out here.

"Yea I know it's hot." He answered back with a sigh. He wasn't as bad off as his poor companion. He looked like he had a bucket of water poured over him. "Break time righ'." he stated with the first real grin since who knew when, and of course it was large, toothy and wolfish.

"We need to get something to drink and eat soon." And as if on cue his stomach growled. Souls had to eat if they used reitsu. "I think we should probably tr…" Ichigo's sentence was never finished. A loud shout came from in front of them, making both men jump and duck behind trees for cover. They ended up being a few feet away from each other and out of sight, though they could steel feel each other just fine(could feel each other's reiatsu).

"Hey man this is not funny!" the shout was in an odd form of English. Both Ichigo and Renji were thanking every god they knew that Jari-een had taught them a few languages over the years. "Hey Markis! Answer me would you!" came the same slightly deep teenage voice.

"I'm telling you someone was here!" sounded another slightly louder and lighter voice. It was still male but sounded aggravated. " I'm not going crazy. I heard someone talking. " the figure snapped the last statement.

"I'm telling you no one goes this far. We are going to be in a lot of trouble for this. You know we aren't allowed out of the shields. I don't know how far it goes but…" he was interrupted by the second.

Ichigo could just make out a boy around sixteen or seventeen with neatly cut brown hair and a neatly kept uniform on. The outfit was a navy blue t- shirt and pants with black dress looking shoes. He looked like he had some muscles but not defined in the least. He was fairly certain the boy had never seen a gym. His face had a well-defined jaw line and his brown eyes were plainly that of a young boy. He had never saw hardships. "I know someone was here. Im not stupid." It was the one who had been called Markis.

After a long pause the other boy appeared. He wore the same outfit and had his blond hair cut almost the same way. He seemed shorter and looked younger, almost feminine with a more rounded face and Hollow white skin, making blue eyes pop. Ichigo also took note the eyes looked too innocent. Even Orihime's eyes had looked more experienced in life when he had left. "Your hearing things. If we get caught out of last class we are so in trouble." The boy panted out. He looked out of breath. "besides dinner is soon." He added in what seemed to be hope for the other to change his mind.

"No. someone is here and I know it." Markis had a look of determination on his face. His hands were on his hips as if to say that was final.

The other frowned but didn't leave. "Fine but your buying me something to eat later on tonight." He huffed with a turned up nose.

"Thanks Paige." Markis broke out in a large grin and started toward where Ichigo knew Renji was. Great with his temper he will kill them. He decided to beat them to the punch. He quickly came out of hiding to lean in plain sight on a closer tree.

"Oi, Don't sneak up on him or he might hurt ya'." He stated dryly and smiled when both boys jumped and then gapped at him. He was sure unruly shoulder length orange hair was uncommon even today. His sword probably didn't help.

Both recovered from their gap after a minute. "Told you." Markis snapped, though he looked just as scarred as the other one.

"So what's this abou' some food?" Renji stated standing only inches behind them, his wolfish grin attached. He had done it for fun and Ichigo didn't even try to hide his almost eerie laugh. Both kids had fallen to the ground.

Markis was back on his feet in seconds. "Are those _Real_ swords? I have never seen one. Are you all from outside the Barrier?" his fear seemed to be conquered by curiosity, although his friend was gapping at him.

Renji jumped on the chance he was given. "Yea, their real. Sorry but you can' hold 'em. And what is this barrier?" by the time he finished his smile was gone, giving his face an almost deadly look.

"Oi, Ren" came the voice they both seemed to have forgotten. The man in front of them was down rite scary. Markis believed that both of them were from outside the barrier. The barrier was in place around every city and kept the Masked ones and the other things out. Every city had one and the few people who did manage to survive outside of it were far and few, most of them criminals. He swallowed hard as he whipped around at high speed to give his attention to the other man, well boy. He looked the same age as he was. He had just turned 17 this month and his graduation was next month. He knew he would soon be in college, if he made it out of here alive and whole. His brown eyes couldn't help but to catch the metal handle of what looked like a sword with its tip almost meeting the ground on the opposite side of its handle. It was wrapped in white and stood out from the odd black outfit both men wore. Both sleeveless and baggy, although the boys orange hair made the black jagged coat the last thing one would look at. His face look harsh and unkind, though the jaw was defined it was to an extent as the bright red haired man now behind them. One could almost mistake the orange headed boy to be kind if any of his smile had carried to his eyes, it hadn't and man was is creepy. "Don't scare them too much." He stated.

"No prob." The red headed man stated, his tattoos standing out more by the second. Who put permanent marks on them, and on their face? The orange headed boy had the same identical marks on his arm and what little exposed chest he had. But they were a slight red tint, not quite as bad as the black. That was supposed to be illegal wasn't it?

"Um, the Barrier is sort of like a shield." Markis could hear Paige explain. Oh yeah the question. "Why don't you know this?" well at least Paige asked a question that would mattered. He was just wondering why the guy had called his sword a 'him'.

"First let's get some names. Yours is Paige and his Markis, right?" The orange haired boy stated. Markis knew his face mirrored Paiges' shocked one. These guys were perceptive to a deadly point. They had to be careful and hope they weren't criminals. "His is Renji." He stated, waking Markis up in time to see him point to the red headed man. Just then it hit him how strong they were. This boys muscles ripped as he pointed. They weren't massive, more like lean but they were very defined. If he hadn't been in a sleeveless jacket he would have never noticed. "and I am Ichigo." He finished with a small smile. Ok we have to trust them and go along for now because if we don't they could kill us in two seconds. He shared a look of knowing with his close friend and hopped they would make it home alive that night.

Ichigo nor Renji missed the look the humans shared before both stood strait with Paige crawling to a standing position in general. They looked mostly at Ichigo as they hesitated to talk. "Got ne thing to eat in tha city of yours?" he stated. He just hoped his stomach didn't growl. Both the humans seemed almost shocked at this. Then Markis forced a smile.

"I don't think its dinner yet but maybe in a few hours." Paige stated with a frown. They couldn't possible think we trust them, he thought as he took a deep breath of annoyance.

Ichigo frowned. He understood where Paige was coming from. "What day is it?" he asked just remembering they had no idea. That question seemed to catch the boys off guard.

"March 13. It's pasted everywhere." Markis left out that even outside the barrier kept electrical up to date clocks. Both men frowned.

"No what year is it?" Ichigo asked with a frown. That was going to raise a warning flag he thought, a little too late.

Paige frowned right out, but answered "3212" was all he stated.

Renjis jaw visibly dropped. Ichigo almost fell over. Both kids looked at them in mild fear and a great deal of amusement. Both humans were convinced they had met a few mental cases. "1201! WHAT THE HELL WAS HE THINKING! WE DON'T KNOW THAT TO DO HERE!" the one named Renji yelled.

Ichigo was shocked a second time that his companion had remembered his manners and spoken in their language. Though Ichigo didn't have that courtesy "Oi, I'm gonna kill that crazy bastard when we get home." he spoke in his native tongue and it came out as an icy tone so severe it almost made the temperature drop. He swallowed his worry as best he could. He looked at the two stunned and scarred children and said in English "So food?"

When no one moved he stated louder "We need to eat and get decent cloths."

Renjis' frown reappeared, "Kids, can we get your help? We're sorta new here." Ichigo almost laughed. That was his best excuse?

Both kids paled visibly at the idea but fear must have over powered because both boys nodded and turned to lead the way to the city. "Cloths first." Markis stated almost instantly. He led the way to the forest edge and continued on only to stop when the two men stopped before exiting.

Renji had come to the conclusion that these humans lacked any kind of life experience. "Oi, we will wait here for cloths so not to attracted attention." Ichigo had voiced his opinion, "and you better come back or the result won't be good." The threat was not hallow. Renji knew his companion was more than willing and capable of doing just about anything since there new life had begun.

Markis looked almost transparent. "Okay." Was his answer before he dashed away. Paige didn't follow to the reapers surprise.

The boy smiled and stated the obvious, "It doesn't take two to carry two changes of cloths." He found a flat dry patch of grass and flopped down. "So.. where are you from? I have never left this city. Never had the money for transportation between the barriers. Is it true that only criminals live outside?"

The boy was not so quiet after all. "Um.. About this barrier…" Ichigo started with a scowl. He didn't finish though, Renji jumped in.

"What the hell is this Barrier keeping in or out?" the red head looked almost deadly with his temper showing. Whatever the kid had expected apparently this wasn't it. He looked shocked them frowned.

"What do you mean? It's been up for over 300 years." He stated in a matter of fact tone. His blue eyes danced from one man to the other. Who were they?

Ichigo swallowed, hard. "Ren, shut up for once in your life." He snapped. Renji was opening his mouth to protest but stopped at Ichigo's worried look. "Look kid,"

"I am not a kid! You're the same age as me!" Paige snapped.

"Look KID," Ichigo emphasized the word. "We have been away for a long time. Kind of like in a time capsule. We were just lucky enough to be dropped here. We kinda have no clue about the barrier." Ichigo explained with a small cough at the end. The heat was getting the best of him, even with night approaching.

Paige stared slack jaw at Ichigo. "I kind of doubt your story but I'll explain. The barrier is to keep out the masked ones, who seem to enjoy human for lunch. They just touch you and you die, some just come close and people die. No one knows how though. Or why they kill and never actually eat the bodies." He barely caught the look of shock on the twos face.

Both once soul reapers almost fell over. So soul society was out of the human world. How? Why? When? What happened? Both glanced upward out of habit then at each other. "Ok so hollows have free reign over earth and no shimigami are here. Are they alive?" Renji spoke his thoughts.

"Ren…" ichigos face had paled considerably. He looked sick. Paige looked on in silence. "I think Im gonna sit down." He mumbled to Renji as he half sit and half collapsed to the ground, unlatching his sword and swinging it to his side with abnormal speed as he fell. It was more than the weather and they both knew it. Ichigo had never been in a gigi before and his whole family was in soul society.

Paiges' jaw dropped. Could they actually use those swords? And where they fake? That one looked heavy. "Where did you get those things?" he hesitantly pointed toward Ichigo's large butcher knife.

Ichigo almost smiled. "These are our best friends." Was all he said while petting his own. Well it was true after all. But he was glad the hollow in him had vanished a long time ago. Jari-een had once told him they had become one again, though he didn't understand. He still had the ability to call the mask and do hollow attacks, but he also done them with disturbing ease.

Paige frowned, "You act like they are alive. I don't get it." He asked innocently.

Saved by the brat, Renji thought as Markis came speed walking into view. He didn't say a word as he threw a large fancy red and black backpack at Ichigo, who barely caught it before it connected with his head. They silently looked into the bag. Two sets of cloths identical to the boys were visible and two pair of old workout shoes could be seen.

Finally Markis spoke, "We don't have any spare dress shoes and I hope these fit, I guessed the size. And our uniform will allow you to enter our dorms at night. After we go see our parent we have to report back to school." He stated with a frown.

Renji and Ichigo both frowned back but disappeared behind some trees to change. It only took a few minutes before they were changed, old cloths and sandals in the bag. Ichigo had kept his red sword hook and sword on, as had Renji kept Zabimaru on his side. Before the humans could protest Ichigo stated the obvious "The swords stay." Both boys paled but didn't argue. No one spoke as they wondered down back streets to Markis's parent's house.


End file.
